Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday struck out an ex-parte motion filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Facility.
At the proceedings, Kanu’s lawyer, Demdoo Asan a senior legal officer with the Legal Aid Council told the court that he wished to withdraw from the matter due to irreconcilable issues with his client.
Asan explained that, since the last adjournment, he had been in constant phone communication with Kanu’s relatives. However, they failed to appear at the Legal Aid office to provide the necessary deposition for the application despite repeated promises.
He added that Kanu attempted to dictate the proceedings and control what counsel would present in court. “He wants to write down what I would say while in court. But, as an officer of the court, I can’t in good faith accept that,” Asan said. After consulting with his superiors, they agreed, leading him to invoke Order 50, Rule 1 of the Federal High Court Rules to formally withdraw from the matter.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho commended the lawyer and the Legal Aid Council for upholding the dignity of the court. He granted leave for them to withdraw from representing Kanu and declared that the motion was incompetent.
However, in the interest of justice and fairness, the judge directed that other parties involved be served with notice, noting that since the last court sitting on December 8, 2025, there had been no proof of service before the court.
Consequently, Justice Omotosho struck out Kanu’s ex-parte motion for lacking competence, effectively halting the transfer request.
